An UrbanDaddy Publication

We’ve been jetpack aficionados since The Rocketeer, but for the most part, science has not obliged us. Great minds have been pushing against the idea since the ’60s, but the dream of a backpack-powered commute has yet to be realized.

But as of this week, we’ve got the next best thing: a jetpack racing a car.

It took place on 400 meters of the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, against a Renault Mégane RS. The pack in question only has 30 seconds of fuel, so it had to be a short race—but it’s still one of the coolest things we’ve seen all year.

“Alligator” doesn’t always mean alligator. In the case of this pair of laceups from Australia’s Horse Shoes, it means a woven pattern that’s one of the cooler leatherworking tricks we’ve seen all year. The bad news: they aren’t shipping for another three weeks—giving you time to find a sufficiently forward-thinking pair of white jeans.

This one comes by way of Australia, where the usually forward-thinking Vanishing Elephant line dipped into vintage styles for the tightest line they’ve ever made. That means intricate prints, polka dots and (our favorite) a club-collared chambray shirt. Well played, gentlemen.

In spring, that means rain. And not just rain: a full-scale monsoon, accompanied by biblical eruptions of wind, lightning and thunder. Your umbrella won’t stand a chance.

The best solution (other than, you know, staying inside) is an enormous, knee-length waterproof coat, kind of like this one from Australia’s Kakadu. It’s roughly their equivalent of the British Barbour coat—only much, much tougher.

It’s reinforced wherever water might leak in, including two linebacker-style patches over the shoulders and an extra flap to cover up the zipper. And since that adds up to a lot of waxed cotton, it might be the heaviest thing in your closet. Use it well.

There are a lot of bags out there, but we’ve always thought less was more. Which means if you’ve got a bundle with you—maybe a few books, a notebook and an iPod—it may be easier to strap them together into an easy-to-carry brick, possibly with this Australian device. It’s a minimal solution, sure…but those are usually the best ones.

Street art takes all kinds, but the nightmare-inducing type isn’t to be discounted. This id-fueled visage was planted on the unsuspecting streets of Sydney by a Mr. Anthony Lister, who is apparently too adult for a pseudonym. It’s amazing…but we’re hoping he stays in Australia. His work might be a bit too intense in person.

Outside of Cronicles of Never and Ksubi, Australia’s style footprint has been pretty small. But we’re always willing to take another look.

This snap (courtesy of Street Peeper) comes from the opening of Alphaville, Melbourne’s latest Godardian boutique. The jeans are from Ksubi, and look familiar enough, but the rest of his getup comes from labels we’ve never even heard of, including Alpha 60 and The Vanishing Elephant.

Judging from the getup—and the success Ksubi has had with the Soho crowd—we’d say the continent’s ripe for a larger crossover, especially in sunnier climes like California.

A while back we told you about Mick Jagger's daughter Georgia, the latest in a line of rock star offspring to try her hand at modeling. Now comes news from across the pond that rock'n'roll prince of darkness Nick Cave's son Jethro is following suit.

Young Jethro, 18, who lives in his dad's native Australia and bears a striking similarity to the Bad Seed, has apparently ditched his legal (and perfectly fine last name of Lazenby in favor of Cave. He has so far appeared in UK hipster rags *i-D* and *Dazed & Confused*, and was recently flown to Paris to meet with French fashion house Balenciaga. Of course, what he really wants to do is produce (music).